JPH10206830A - Liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a plasma address system liquid crystal display device which has a wide visual field angle. SOLUTION: This liquid crystal display device consists of a 1st substrate 1 having 1st electrodes 5 which are nearly parallel to one another, a 2nd substrate 2 which has 2nd electrodes 7 and 8 formed opposite crossing the 1st electrodes almost in parallel and is arranged almost in parallel to the 1st substrate, a liquid crystal layer 3 which is arranged in contact with the 1st electrodes of the 1st substrate, and a plasma chamber Pn which constitutes a discharge area by charging ionizable gas between the liquid crystal layer and 2nd substrate insulating film 6, and an electric field 13 applied to the liquid crystal layer contains a component parallel to 1st and 2nd substrate surfaces.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display device which addresses pixels formed of an electro-optic material layer using plasma.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A liquid crystal display device is thinner and lighter than a cathode ray tube, and thus is generally used as an image display device of a notebook personal computer or the like, and is also being used as a large screen panel type image display device. .

In a liquid crystal display device, the orientation of a liquid crystal layer inserted between a first substrate (front panel) and a second substrate (back panel), each of which has electrodes, is controlled on a pixel-by-pixel basis. By doing so, light from the backlight arranged on the second substrate side is selectively transmitted, and a desired image is displayed. The orientation of the liquid crystal molecules constituting the liquid crystal layer is controlled by an electric field formed by a potential difference applied between electrodes provided on the first substrate and the second substrate.

In this type of liquid crystal display device, a so-called matrix drive system in which the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is performed by a plurality of electrodes orthogonal to each other is generally adopted.

In the matrix driving method, a non-linear element is provided for each pixel, and the non-linear element prevents unnecessary voltage from being applied to pixels other than a predetermined pixel, thereby suppressing crosstalk. Matrix driving method,
Although a so-called simple matrix driving method in which a non-linear element is not provided for each pixel is known, the active matrix driving method is more advantageous in terms of image display response and contrast.

As a liquid crystal display device of the active matrix drive system, a TFT (Thin Fil) is generally used.
m Transistor (thin film transistor) liquid crystal display devices are widely used. In this TFT liquid crystal display device, a plurality of electrodes (second electrodes) orthogonal to each other and a pixel electrode are provided for each pixel on the second substrate (back plate), and at each intersection of the plurality of electrodes. A transistor is formed by thin-film technology, and both electrodes are connected for each pixel by the TFT, and a counter electrode (first electrode) provided on the front plate
And a pixel electrode provided on the back plate and connected to the drain of the TFT, a potential difference is generated, and the electric field formed by the potential difference changes the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules constituting the liquid crystal layer to change the light direction. It controls transmission.

That is, in the TFT liquid crystal display device, the TFT functions as a switch provided for each pixel, and a configuration is such that a potential difference occurs only in a pixel to which a voltage is applied to the TFT.

In such a TFT liquid crystal display device, it is necessary to provide an extremely large number of TFTs on the back plate according to the number of pixels. Normally, TFTs are formed on the back plate by thin film technology. However, it is more difficult to prevent defects on the TFTs on the back plate as the screen size increases. Forming the faceplate is quite difficult.

On the other hand, the switching action described above
There has been proposed a so-called plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device that utilizes plasma instead of T in a discharge region provided on the back surface of a liquid crystal layer.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of an essential part for explaining an example of the structure of a conventional plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device, wherein 1 is a first substrate (front plate) and 2 is a second substrate (back plate). , 3
Is a liquid crystal layer, 4 is a discharge region, 5 is a first electrode, 6 is a dielectric film, 7 and 8 are second electrodes, and 9 is a partition. Hereinafter, the first substrate is also called a front plate, and the second substrate is also called a back plate.

In the liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 8, a back plate 2 as a second substrate, a dielectric film 6, a liquid crystal layer 3, and a plurality of transparent electrodes 5 as first electrodes parallel to each other are provided on the back. A light-transmitting front plate 1 which is a first substrate which is sequentially laminated with the dielectric film 6 located on the face plate 2 side and which is arranged at a predetermined distance from the back plate 2; In order to generate a discharge in a discharge region 4 comprising a plurality of plasma chambers Pn provided in a direction orthogonal to the plurality of transparent electrodes 5 and the dielectric film 6, the plurality of partition walls 9 are provided. And a plurality of discharge electrodes 7 and 8, which are second electrodes, provided in parallel with each other.

According to this liquid crystal display device, a discharge is generated between the predetermined discharge electrodes 7 and 8, and plasma is generated in the discharge region 4 formed by the plasma chamber Pn where the discharge electrodes 7 and 8 are located.
A substantially uniform potential distribution is formed on the surface of the dielectric film 6 located in the discharge space. By applying a predetermined voltage to the predetermined transparent electrode 5 in this state, an applied voltage is applied to the surface of the dielectric film 6 located at the intersection of the plasma chamber Pn in which the plasma is generated and the transparent electrode 5 to which the voltage is applied. Is accumulated, and the orientation direction of the molecules of the liquid crystal layer 3 located at the intersection changes. This change in the orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules is retained by the action of the stored charge even after the plasma in the plasma chamber Pn is extinguished, and this functions as a memory operation.

That is, in the plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device, the discharge region 4, which is composed of the plasma chamber Pn, the discharge electrodes 7, 8, and the dielectric film 6, act as the TFT.

In this plasma address type liquid crystal display device, a discharge region 4 comprising a plasma chamber Pn is provided on a back plate 2.
It is only necessary to provide the partition 9 for forming the pixel and the discharge electrodes 7 and 8 parallel to the partition 9. Therefore, although the pixels are coarse as compared with a liquid crystal display device having a TFT for each pixel on the back plate 2, There is an advantage that a large-screen display device can be easily obtained.

The liquid crystal display device having the above configuration is disclosed in
-217396. Further, as related ones, JP-A-8-76693 can be cited.

[0016]

In the above-mentioned plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device, a large-screen display device that does not require high definition can be easily manufactured, but a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between two substrates to form an electrode. This is a display method in which light is transmitted through the electrodes and incident on the liquid crystal layer by modulating the voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer, and the display quality is greatly influenced by the viewing angle.

The disadvantage that the viewing angle dependence is large is as follows.
The larger the image display area is, the more serious the problem becomes, and the solution is extremely important. That is, as in the past, a wide viewing angle was not absolutely necessary in the range in which a liquid crystal display device was used as a display for a personal computer, but the required display specification was a large monitor comparable to a cathode ray tube. In the case of a large-screen television or the like, a wide viewing angle characteristic is indispensable.

An object of the present invention is to provide a plasma addressed liquid crystal display having a wide viewing angle.

[0019]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first substrate having a plurality of first electrodes substantially parallel to each other; A plurality of second portions formed substantially parallel to each other so as to intersect and face each other.
A second electrode having electrodes and disposed substantially parallel to the first substrate;
Substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed in contact with the first electrode of the first substrate, and the liquid crystal layer filled with an ionizable gas between the second substrate via an insulating film. A plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device comprising a plasma chamber constituting a discharge region and selecting a pixel formed of the liquid crystal layer by a discharge formed in the plasma chamber, wherein the electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer is It has a component parallel to the first and second substrate surfaces.

In the structure of the present invention, since the rotation plane of the optical axis of the liquid crystal molecules forming the liquid crystal layer is substantially parallel to the first and second substrate surfaces, the viewing angle is widened and the display screen is viewed obliquely. In this case, a good image quality holding range is widened.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a first substrate having a plurality of first electrodes substantially parallel to each other is formed substantially parallel to each other so as to cross and face the first electrodes. A second substrate having a plurality of second electrodes formed thereon and disposed substantially in parallel with the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed in contact with the first electrode of the first substrate; And a plasma chamber that forms a discharge region by filling an ionizable gas between the substrate and the second substrate via an insulating film, and is formed of the liquid crystal layer by a discharge formed in the plasma chamber. In a plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device for selecting a pixel, a grid-like partition substantially parallel to each of the first electrode and the second electrode for dividing the discharge region between the insulating film and the second electrode Formed in the discharge region divided by the partition wall Characterized by having a component parallel to the electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer is the first and second substrates between the and the virtual electrode first electrode formed on the insulating film of the plasma chamber.

In the configuration of the present invention, the plasma chamber in the discharge region is discontinuously partitioned by lattice-shaped partitions, and the partition constitutes a pixel, and is formed by the discharge charge generated in the insulating film (dielectric film) of the partition. The plasma chamber and the first electrode are arranged such that the electric field formed between the virtual electrode and the first electrode has a component parallel to the first and second substrate surfaces. Thereby, a wide viewing angle can be obtained.

[0023] Further, the third invention according to claim 3 provides:
In the second invention, the grid-like partition walls are made of a composite material in which an insulating film is coated on the entire surface of a grid-like base material formed of a metal material, so that the partition walls are formed separately from the substrate and assembled. As a result, the manufacturing process is not complicated as in the case of applying the glass paste a plurality of times as in the related art, and the liquid crystal display device can be easily manufactured.

Further, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention,
In the second or third aspect of the present invention, the partition and the first electrode are located in a direction normal to the first and second substrates.

With this configuration, the electric field formed between the virtual electrode and the first electrode can have a component parallel to the first and second substrate surfaces, and a wide viewing angle can be obtained.

[0026] The fifth invention according to claim 5 is as follows.
In the first to fourth inventions, at least one of an optical filter having an external light reflection preventing function and a function of reducing a viewing angle dependency of the liquid crystal layer is laminated on the surface of the first substrate.

In the structure of the present invention, the deterioration of image quality due to reflection of external light is prevented by the external light reflection preventing function of the optical filter, and a wider viewing angle is obtained by the viewing angle dependency reducing function.

[0028]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to examples.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a main part of the structure of a first embodiment of a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a first substrate (front plate), 2 denotes a second substrate (back plate), 3 denotes a liquid crystal layer, 4 denotes a discharge region, 5 denotes a first electrode, and 6 denotes a first electrode. Dielectric film, 7 and 8 are second
The electrode 9 is a grid-like partition.

The first substrate 1 is a front plate that is flat and has a sufficiently high optical transmittance, and the second substrate 2 also forms a flat transparent back plate. A liquid crystal layer 3 as a material is interposed, and a discharge region 4 is formed in a space between the liquid crystal layer 3 and the back plate 2. Hereinafter, the first substrate, the second substrate
Are also referred to as a front plate and a rear plate, respectively.

The front plate 1 has a transparent electrode as a first electrode 5 on one principal surface (plane) thereof, and a liquid crystal layer 3 made of a liquid crystal material such as a nematic liquid crystal in contact with the first electrode 5. Are located. The liquid crystal layer 3 is sandwiched between the front plate 1 and a thin dielectric film 6 made of glass, plastic, mica, or the like.
The dielectric film 6 forms a so-called liquid crystal cell.

The dielectric film 6 functions as an insulating barrier between the liquid crystal layer 3 and the discharge region 4. Without the dielectric film 6, the liquid crystal material flows into the discharge region, or the gas in the discharge region 4 causes the liquid crystal material to be removed. Risk of contamination. However, when a solidified liquid crystal material such as a polymer dispersed liquid crystal is used for the liquid crystal layer, it may not be necessary.

Since the dielectric film 6 is made of an insulating material, the dielectric film 6 itself has a function as a capacitor. Therefore, in order to sufficiently secure the electric coupling between the discharge region 4 and the liquid crystal layer 3 and to suppress the two-dimensional diffusion of the charge, it is preferable that the thickness is as small as possible. However, in reality, a material having a thickness of 30 to 100 μm is used for convenience of handling.

On the other hand, a cathode 7 and an anode 8 serving as a discharge electrode, which are second electrodes, are also formed on the back plate 2 as strip electrodes parallel to each other, and are arranged at a predetermined distance from the dielectric film 6, and the periphery is formed. It is supported and fixed by a frit (not shown). The space between the back plate 2 and the dielectric film 6 is a discharge region 4 for generating discharge plasma.

The discharge region 4 is partitioned by partition walls 9 to form a large number of independent plasma chambers Pn. Helium, neon, argon, or a mixed gas thereof is sealed in each plasma chamber Pn as an ionizable gas.

As described above, the liquid crystal display device of this embodiment is
When the plasma chamber Pn is formed as a group of plasma cells finely divided in the row direction, the virtual electrode 11 formed on the dielectric film 6 becomes one continuous electrode as in the conventional example shown in FIG. Rather than lines, they are formed as a group of virtual electrodes having a small area, each of which is divided and regularly arranged. In other words, by forming the partition walls 9 in a stripe shape in the prior art into a grid shape in the present embodiment, the virtual electrodes 11 formed in the selected row have a fine area and are regularly arranged. And it can be set as a group of each divided.

The shape of the virtual electrode 11 can be arbitrarily formed by the shape of the grid-like partition 9 shown in the figure.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the positional relationship with each transparent electrode 5 formed on the front plate 1 is at a position directly opposed to the front plate 1 in the normal direction of the liquid crystal layer 3. A grid-like partition 9 is formed so as not to be formed.

Thus, the electric field 1 applied to the liquid crystal layer 3
By driving the liquid crystal layer 3 as an electric field having a component parallel to the plane of the front plate 1 instead of the normal direction (perpendicular direction) to the front plate 1, it is possible to significantly widen the viewing angle.

The grid-like partition walls 9 in this embodiment are parallel to the cathodes 7 and anodes 8 serving as discharge electrodes, and are provided on the front plate 1 with the gaps between these discharge electrodes and the liquid crystal layer 3 interposed therebetween. Is formed in a position facing the transparent electrode 5, that is, a lattice shape as a whole. In other words, in the present embodiment, a partition wall is provided for each pair of the cathode 7 and the anode 8 in the row direction, that is, for each scanning unit, and in the column direction for each line of the transparent electrode 5.

Accordingly, the virtual electrodes having a fine area formed in one plasma chamber Pn and arranged regularly and divided respectively correspond to one scanning line.

The grid-like partition walls 9 are formed by, for example, a screen printing method. For example, it is formed by laminating and printing a glass paste a plurality of times by a screen printing method.

The partition walls 9 also play a role in regulating the gap of the discharge region 4 (the distance between the back plate 2 and the dielectric film 6). The size of this gap can be controlled by adjusting the number of screen printings, the amount of glass paste at each printing, the viscosity thereof, and the like. Usually, it is 80 to 200 μm, but is not limited to this.

Electrodes for driving the liquid crystal layer 3 are formed on each of the front panel 1 and the rear panel 2. First, a plurality of strip-shaped electrodes 5 having a predetermined width are formed on the main surface of the front plate 1 facing the rear plate 2. This electrode 5
Is an optically transparent electrode made of a transparent electrode material such as indium tin oxide (ITO).

The transparent electrodes 5 are arranged in parallel with each other, for example, in the vertical direction of a screen constituted by a front plate. On the other hand, a cathode 7 and an anode 8 serving as discharge electrodes are also provided on a main surface of the back plate 2 facing the front plate 1.
The cathode 7 and the anode 8 are also linear or strip-shaped electrodes parallel to each other, and the arrangement direction is substantially orthogonal to the transparent electrode 5 formed on the front plate 1. That is, these discharge electrodes, ie, the cathode 7 and the anode 8
Are arranged in the horizontal direction of the screen.

The cathode 7 and the anode 8 are arranged in pairs in the respective plasma chambers Pn. The cathode 7 and the anode 8 can be formed directly on the back plate 2, and can be formed, for example, by printing a conductive paste containing nickel powder or the like by a screen printing method. Of course, after the conductive thin film is formed, it can also be formed by using a photolithography etching process or the like.
It can be easily formed on the main surface of the back plate 2 and can secure dimensional accuracy such as electrode gap.

In this embodiment, first, a cathode 7 and an anode 8, which are discharge electrodes, are formed on the back plate 2, and then grid-like partition walls are formed by a screen printing method or the like.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the arrangement of transparent electrodes formed on the front plate and cathodes and anodes serving as discharge electrodes formed on the back plate.

A first signal applying means comprising a data driver circuit 15 and an output amplifier 16 is connected to the transparent electrode 5 of the front panel 1, and an analog voltage output from each output amplifier 16 is used as a liquid crystal drive signal. Supplied.

On the other hand, the cathode ₇₁ of the discharge electrode on the rear plate _2, 7 _2, the · · · 7 _n data strobe circuit 1
7 is connected to a second signal applying means comprising an output amplifier 18, and a pulse voltage output from each output amplifier 18 is supplied as a data strobe signal.

Each of the anode electrodes 8 _1, 8 ₂ ,.
Common reference voltage (here, ground potential) in · 8 _n is supplied.

In order to form an image over the entire screen, a scanning control circuit 19 is provided in connection with the data driver circuit 15 and the data strobe circuit 17. The scan control circuit 19 is provided with the data driver circuit 15
And the functions of the data strobe circuit 17 are adjusted to sequentially address all the pixel columns of the liquid crystal layer 3 from row to row.

In the liquid crystal display device having this configuration,
The liquid crystal layer 3 functions as a sampling capacitor for an analog voltage applied to the transparent electrode 5 formed on the front panel 1, and the discharge plasma generated in the discharge region 4 functions as a sampling switch to perform image display.

The liquid crystal layer 3 corresponding to each pixel can be regarded as a capacitor model. That is, this capacitor model represents a capacitive liquid crystal cell formed between the transparent electrode 5 and the discontinuous virtual electrode 11 formed on the dielectric film 6 in each plasma chamber.

Now, each of the transparent electrodes 5 _1, 5 _2, ...
_Assume that an analog voltage is applied to 5 _{n from} the data driver circuit 15. Here, the data strobe signal to the cathode 7 ₁ of the back plate 2 is not applied, i.e. when to be in an off state, without causing the anode ₈₁ and cathode ₇₁ in the discharge gas of the plasma chamber will not be ionized. Therefore, the plasma switch (transparent electrode 5
_1, 5 _2, ... 5 electrical connection between the _n and the anode electrode ₈₁₎ is turned off, the transparent electrode 5 _1, 5 _2, -
.... No matter what analog signal is applied to 5 _n
There is no change in the potential difference applied to each capacitor model.

Meanwhile, the data strobe signal to the cathode electrodes 7 ₂ on the rear plate 2 is applied, i.e. when a is in the ON state, the anode electrode ₈₂ and the cathode electrode 7
_The gas is ionized by the discharge between the _two , and a plasma discharge is generated in the plasma chamber. Then, the transparent electrodes 5 _1, 5 _2, ...
a state _{in which n} and the anode electrode ₈₂ is electrically connected, an equivalent state and the plasma switch is turned on when viewed circuit manner.

[0057] As a result, in the capacitor model of the column cathode electrode 7 ₂ is strobed, the transparent electrode 5 _1,
5 _2, an analog voltage is stored which is supplied to the · · · · · 5 _n.

[0058] Even after strobe to the cathode electrode 7 ₂ is completed until the next strobe is carried out (at least, during its field period of the image), this analog voltage is stored respectively in the capacitors Model As it is, the transparent electrodes 5 _1, 5 _2, ...
5 is not affected by the subsequent change in the analog voltage applied to the _n.

Therefore, the cathodes 7 _1, 7 ₂ ,.
7 _n are sequentially addressed, a data strobe signal is applied, plasma discharge is sequentially generated in a plasma chamber corresponding to each electrode pair of a cathode and an anode, and virtual electrodes discontinuous in a row direction are sequentially formed. By applying a liquid crystal drive signal as an analog voltage to each of the transparent electrodes 5 _1, 5 _2, ..., 5 _n in synchronization with the above, the plasma switch functions as an active element similar to a switching element such as a TFT. The liquid crystal layer is driven in the same manner as in the matrix addressing system, and the virtual electrode and the transparent electrode are arranged in the positional relationship shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, so that the liquid crystal layer has an electric field having a component parallel to the substrate. It will be driven by.

The above-described driving method is merely an example, and if the liquid crystal display device has the structure of the present embodiment,
Other drive schemes can be employed.

According to the above embodiment, since the virtual electrode can be partitioned, the rotation plane of the optical axis of the liquid crystal molecules forming the liquid crystal layer is set to the first position.
In addition, the liquid crystal display device can be substantially parallel to the second substrate surface, and a high-quality liquid crystal display device having a wide viewing angle can be obtained.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explaining the structure of a partition constituting a second embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is the structure of the second embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a principal part similar to FIG. In the figure, 9
Is a conductor mesh, and 9b is an insulating film.

In the first embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a grid-like partition 9 for forming a virtual electrode 11 having a fine area and regularly arranged and divided is provided.
Was used in which a glass paste was laminated by screen printing a plurality of times. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Metal or alloy, for example, 426 alloy (42 wt% Ni
A thin plate of −6 wt% Cr-remaining Fe) is formed into a lattice-shaped conductor mesh 9 a by chemical etching or the like, and an insulating film 9 b such as a glass film is applied to the entire surface by screen printing or electrodeposition. This was fired to form the partition wall 9.

More specifically, the conductor mesh 9a is formed by processing a thin plate of 426 alloy having a thickness of 0.1 mm,
Electrodeposition was performed to a thickness of 0 μm.

As shown in FIG. 5, this grid-like partition wall 9 is stacked at a predetermined position on the back plate 2 on which the cathode 7 and the anode 8 which are discharge electrodes are formed, and an insulating material is placed thereon. A certain dielectric film 6 is stacked, and the periphery thereof is sealed with a frit as a sealing material to form an address portion using plasma. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.
Description is omitted.

According to the present embodiment, the same image quality as that of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the partition wall 9 can be formed without the necessity of performing many times of complicated lamination of the glass paste by screen printing.
Can be manufactured, and since the partition is manufactured after being manufactured separately from the back plate 2, the yield is greatly improved.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the configuration of a third embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention. In the figure, 14 is an optical filter.

This embodiment has the same structure of the plasma addressing section as the first embodiment, and has a front plate 1 constituting a screen.
And one or both of an optical filter having an external light reflection suppressing function and an optical filter having a viewing angle dependency correcting function are mounted on the surface of the optical filter. The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

The external light reflection suppressing function and the viewing angle dependency correcting function can be realized by a single filter, but they may be formed as separate filters. In addition, an optical correction plate such as a polarizing plate may be laminated on at least one of the front plate 1 and the back plate 2. Thereby, the visibility and display quality of the image are greatly improved.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the configuration of a fourth embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention. In the figure, 14 is an optical filter.

This embodiment has the same structure of the plasma addressing section having the same partition as the second embodiment, and the optical filter having the function of suppressing external light reflection on the surface of the front plate 1 constituting the screen, the visual field One or both of optical filters having an angle-dependent correction function are mounted. The other configuration is the same as that of the second embodiment, and the description is omitted. Thereby, the visibility and display quality of the image are greatly improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but may be applied to other active matrix type liquid crystal display devices, simple matrix type liquid crystal display devices, or various types of display devices addressed by an electric field. The same applies.

[0073]

As described above, in the present invention, since the electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer as the electro-optical material layer has a component parallel to the substrate surface, only the electric field perpendicular to the conventional substrate is applied. Thus, the viewing angle dependency generated when the liquid crystal layer is driven can be significantly reduced, and a liquid crystal display device with good visibility can be obtained.

Then, the discharge region is divided by grid-like partitions substantially parallel to the first electrode and the second electrode, and the second region is formed on an insulator (dielectric film) of a plasma chamber generated by the discharge. By making the virtual electrode parallel to the electrode discontinuous,
An electric field applied to the first electrode, that is, an electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer can have a component parallel to the substrate. In addition, as a grid-like partition, a grid-shaped metal, alloy, or other conductive thin plate coated with an insulating film over the entire surface is used, thereby dividing a discharge region, thereby forming a plasma chamber generated by discharge. The virtual electrode parallel to the second electrode formed on the dielectric film can be discontinuous, and the electric field applied between the first electrode and the electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer has a component parallel to the substrate. Can be made.

Further, by laminating an optical filter on the first substrate which is a display screen, reflection of external light is suppressed, and the viewing angle dependency is further reduced, so that high quality image display can be performed. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a main part of a configuration of a first embodiment of a liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement of a transparent electrode formed on a front plate and a cathode and an anode serving as discharge electrodes formed on a back plate.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a structure of a partition wall of a liquid crystal display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the structure of a liquid crystal display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the configuration of a third embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the configuration of a fourth embodiment of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a main part illustrating a structural example of a conventional plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st board | substrate (front board) 2 2nd board | substrate (back board) 3 Liquid crystal layer 4 Discharge area 5 1st electrode 6 Dielectric film 7, 8 2nd electrode 9 Grid-shaped partition 9a Conductor mesh 9b Insulator.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing on the front page (72) Nobutake Konishi, 3300 Hayano, Mobara-shi, Chiba Electronic Device Division, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Hideo Tanabe 3300, Hayano, Mobara-shi, Chiba Electronic Device Business, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Masuyuki Ota 3300 Hayano, Mobara-shi, Chiba Pref., Electronic Device Division, Hitachi, Ltd.

Claims (5)

[Claims] A first substrate having a plurality of first electrodes substantially parallel to each other; and a plurality of second electrodes formed substantially parallel to each other so as to intersect and face the first electrodes. A second substrate disposed substantially in parallel with the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed in contact with a first electrode of the first substrate, and the second substrate via an insulating film. And a plasma chamber forming a discharge region by enclosing an ionizable gas between the plasma chamber and a plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device in which a pixel formed of the liquid crystal layer is selected by a discharge formed in the plasma chamber. A liquid crystal display device, wherein an electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer has a component parallel to the first and second substrate surfaces. A first substrate having a plurality of first electrodes substantially parallel to each other; and a plurality of second electrodes formed substantially parallel to each other so as to intersect and face the first electrodes. A second substrate disposed substantially in parallel with the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed in contact with a first electrode of the first substrate, and the second substrate via an insulating film. And a plasma chamber forming a discharge region by enclosing an ionizable gas between the plasma chamber and a plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device in which a pixel formed of the liquid crystal layer is selected by a discharge formed in the plasma chamber. And a grid-like partition substantially parallel to each of the first electrode and the second electrode for dividing the discharge region between the insulating film and the second electrode, wherein the discharge region is divided by the partition. Virtual formed in the insulating film of the plasma chamber formed in The liquid crystal display device of an electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer between said To pole first electrode and having a component parallel to the first and second substrates. 3. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, wherein said grid-like partition is a composite material in which an insulating film is coated on the entire surface of a grid-like base made of a metal or an alloy material. 4. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 2, wherein said partition and said first electrode are located in a direction normal to said first and second substrates. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of an optical filter having an external light reflection preventing function and a function of reducing a viewing angle dependency of said liquid crystal layer is laminated on a surface of said first substrate. 5. The liquid crystal display device according to item 3 or 4.